I studied in modern times

Chapter 906 A New Sun Rises in Bianjing City (2)

Half an hour later, in the Plum Blossom Hall in the back hall of Kaifeng Prefecture.

Zhao Xu sat upright on the cushion, looking at the civil and military officials of Kaifeng Prefecture who were sitting on both sides of the hall.

After the baptism of corruption among clerks in the prefecture, the leadership team of Kaifeng Prefecture has completed a major reshuffle.

Not only three chief officers, but all of them were replaced.

Other officials also suffered a lot of impact.

A large number of officials were dismissed by Zhao Xu and then sent to other places.

This is intentional.

Through this action, Zhao Xu transferred a large number of young officials who had closely followed his footsteps and were smart and capable in practice in the past two years to key positions in local states and counties.

Especially the capital area - Jingxi Road, Jingdong Road, Henan Prefecture, Daming Prefecture, etc.

Dozens of candidates, Beijing officials, and court officials were arranged by the Ministry of Personnel, which was remotely controlled by Zhao Xu, and were assigned to the posts of prefect, county magistrate, and magistrate in key areas around the capital.

A group of imperial party officials surrounding Kaifeng Prefecture has taken shape.

All of this, if not paid special attention, most people may not even notice it.

The main point is to sneak into the village quietly without firing a gun.

The departure of these people left a large number of positions vacant, allowing Zhao Xu to promote some outstanding officials.

Therefore, more than half of the people sitting in this Plum Blossom Hall were minor clerks who used to wait outside and be informed by their superiors after the meeting.

Figuratively speaking, those who used to sit at the children’s table are now sitting at the table!
So, the atmosphere was naturally very enthusiastic.

Everyone's face was flushed, and they all lowered their heads, not daring to look at Zhao Xu who was sitting at the top.

But intentionally or unintentionally, that glance or the moment of secretly looking up.

There is a green light flashing in their eyes that is full of ambition and aspirations.

It is the fierce desire to drag others down so that one can get promoted and make money.

It is also the spirit of being positive and striving to become better!

It was the first time that Zhao Xu saw so many officials in such a state in the Song Dynasty.

Generally, bureaucrats with such a mental outlook can only be seen at the beginning of a country.

Why did Zhao Xu know?
Because he has seen employees with similar mentalities in many modern start-ups.

This made Zhao Xu excited, and he couldn't help but nod secretly.

This is exactly the kind of group of officials he wants!
"It's worth it that I have taken so much trouble to use various means to inspire and stimulate the morale of Kaifeng Prefecture!"

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu began to call the roll.

"Where is Jia Qing?"

"I'm here!" Jia Zhongmin, who was only a few steps away from Qian Xie and others, stood up immediately.

As one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Yuanyou New Deal.

Jia Zhongmin is now one of the most aggressive officials in Kaifeng Prefecture.

Even when speaking in front of Zhao Xu, his voice was louder than that of others.

"Please report on the recent affairs of the Street Division..."

"Yes!" Jia Zhongmin bowed, and a clerk in blue handed him an account book.

Then he opened the account book and began to read the data fluently.

"I am honored by your Majesty's trust, the court's wise governance, and the country's benevolent policies..."

"Since the beginning of this year, the Street Office has achieved remarkable results in all matters!"

"In compliance with the imperial edict of Your Majesty in the first month of this year, the City Management and Street Guards have been following Your Majesty's message [Do not let orphans, widows, disabled women and children die of hunger and cold in Bianjing] since the first month of this year. Since the first month of this year, they have hired more than 4,300 workers for sweeping, washing and carrying... Among them, there are 1,321 elderly people over 60 with no one to rely on... 839 married couples and children who have entered the capital..."

"Their monthly salary ranges from one string to one and a half strings..."

"So, in today's Bianjing, the streets are clean, the canals are clear, there is no feces on the road, and no dead people on the road..."

"It will not cost the country a cent, nor will it increase the people's taxes..."

"This is something that has never been done before in the Three Dynasties and has never been done by the Five Emperors. It is truly due to your Majesty's saintly virtue!"

As he spoke, Jia Zhongmin knelt down and said, "I am very humbled. I compliment the emperor on his ability to bring peace!"

"I beg you to report this holy policy to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and pray to the spirit of the late emperor to show your majesty's holy virtue!"

Wow!
After Jia Zhongmin knelt down, more than a dozen officials of all ranks in the subdistrict office knelt down and followed suit, saying, "Your Majesty, we beg you to report this holy policy to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and pray before the spirit of the late emperor to show your holy virtue!"

Zhao Xu listened, smiled and rubbed his hands. The officials present immediately stood up, prostrated themselves on the ground, and began to repeat: "Your Majesty, we beg you to report this holy policy to the Imperial Ancestral Temple and pray to the spirit of the late emperor to show your holy virtue!"

After everyone knelt down, Zhao Xu waved his hand slowly and said, "Everyone, stand up!"

"What I have done is just to follow the way of the saints and obey the teachings of my father!"

"How can I pray to the saints for my insignificant achievements?"

It costs a lot of money to pray to the gods in the temple!
Because it was necessary to reward officials in provinces and counties all over the world, and at the same time, rewards had to be given to the Imperial City Administration.

The reason is simple - even if an ordinary landlord has a wedding, he will still hold a banquet to let the customers who rent his land have some meat and fish, let alone Emperor Zhao?
Zhao Xu won't be fooled!

But he can be humble, but his ministers cannot.

Because this is real political achievement!
The current Bianjing City has undergone earth-shaking changes compared to the eighth year of Yuanfeng!

There is no more sewage flowing, feces and urine everywhere, or severe congestion on the streets.

Once upon a time, lawless ruffians and scoundrels could be seen everywhere, but now they are becoming less and less common.

As for the public security situation, no one picks up lost items on the road and no one locks their doors at night.

However, the incidence of vicious cases such as home robbery and kidnapping in broad daylight has been declining.

The most important thing is that Zhao Xu solved two major problems in Bianjing City.

The living problems of orphans and the elderly, weak and disabled people without children to rely on.

The orphans all became newsboys and became the orphans of Emperor Zhao's family.

As long as they have a certain working ability, those elderly people over 60 years old, disabled people, women and children who support their families alone can find a job in the Street Department to clean the streets and transport garbage and feces.

Although the income was very meager - an average monthly salary of one guan could only buy five dou of rice in Bianjing City (the price of rice in Bianjing was one hundred and twenty coins per dou of rice).

I could just barely fill my stomach and not starve to death.

In addition, according to the system, the street office is responsible for burying these helpless elderly widows after their death.

It just so happened that the Zhao officials built a large number of temples and Taoist temples in and around the city of Bianjing.

These temples and Taoist temples have always been the places where the Zhao officials buried the remaining soldiers of the imperial guards, as well as the eunuchs and palace maids who died in the palace.

Now, asking them to take on the additional task of burying the elderly and widowed people is naturally not a problem.

As a result, the Confucian scholars suddenly discovered that their ideals had become reality!

The ideals once pursued by the saints seem to be becoming a reality.

The elderly will have a place to live, the young will be raised, and the strong will be employed. These are no longer cold words.

However, this was a phenomenon limited to the city of Bianjing.

But this still couldn't stop the Confucian scholars from having continuous intracranial orgasms.

This is also one of the reasons why Zhao Xu's policies can be steadily advanced.

Confucian scholars are not fools.

They are people with eyes, ears, thinking ability and movement.

There were so many things, how could they not know that Zhao Xu was being unorthodox?
but……

The current reality forces these people to defend Zhao Xu.

For example, Cheng Yi kept pinching his nose and endorsing Zhao Xu.

Some Taoist scholars did not understand, so he took them to walk through the streets, to meet the elderly, the weak, and the widowed who had jobs in the street office, to see the refugees who were receiving help in Futianyuan, and to see the orphans who were supported by the Bianjing Xinbao and Bianjing Yibao.

Then, you can end with the sentence "Listen to what he says and watch what he does; this is the teaching of the sages. Today's government officials are benevolent and wise, and they care about the people. They are beyond reproach."

No matter how dissatisfied the Taoist scholars were, they could only hold back in the face of such a reality.

So, even though Zhao Xu repeatedly declined, he attributed all the credit to the saint and the "teachings of the emperor", and put himself in the position of an "insignificant executor".

However, the ministers begged him again and again, and Zhao Xu had no choice but to say, "You are really making it difficult for me!"

"I am only following the teachings of my father and acting in the way of the saints..."

"I dare not take credit for it!"

"You should praise the Emperor!"

The ministers then shifted their target and begged Zhao Xu to give the title of Emperor Yingwen Liewu Shengxiao of the Song Dynasty!
And you can’t just add two words, you have to add four words to be worthy of the merits of the late emperor!
Zhao Xu listened and raised his eyelids.

Got it!
You still have to spend money!
But fortunately, conferring an honorific title on the late emperor is much more cost-effective than praying in the Taimiao and then announcing it to the world.

So he agreed.

(End of this chapter)